Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-12-02

the eastern portion of the state and
in some parts of the western. The
fever of speculation, the rapid
growth of the cities and the rush to
take up cheap lands in the West
fully account for this.
The Vermont farms are not worn
out. On the contrary, most of them
are very fertile and productive when
intelligently farmed. And the time
is near, if it has not already been
reached, when a good farmer can
do better here than he can by taking
up new land in the West. There
must soon be a check to the tide of
emigration and pro badly there will
be a refux. Our local markets are
better than they were few years
ago and the city markets near us
are reached at a lower cost. Money
is obtainable in abundance at not
exceeding six per cent. If any man
has difficulty in getting it, there is
something wrong with him; either
his security is not good or he is con-
sidered an inefficient manager.
Vermont has more cultivated
acres than any other New England
state. People in the cities who
don't know much are in the habit of
speaking of the state as "way back"
little dreaming that the highest cul-
ture, and all the arts of civilization
prevail here far more generally than
among the average populations in
and near Boston and New York.
The climate is not severe, as some
suppose, but comfortable and heal
thy. 1t presents less disconforts
and dangers than most any of the
climates to which our emigrants re-
move.
There are only two serious draw
backs in the state. One is the far
reaching enterprise of its people,
which causes so many of them to
furnish the means for building up
other places than their own, or in
other words, to furnish money for
other people to manage instead of
managing it themselves; and second,
the disposition to neglect road-mak-
ing, drainage, and other improve
ments that ought to attend an occu-
patton that is advancing into its
second century.
In the eastern part of the state,
as rule, the soil is adapted to max
ing good, smooth roads. The intro
duction of road machines has greatly
improved them of late and they are
excellent during most of the year.
1t is different in Rutland, Addison,
Chittenden and Franklin counties,
where the natural roads are, with
the exception of the slate region,
composed of either sand or cobble-
stones, which will not pack, or of
clay, which is generally either rutty
or muddy. But it will be an easy
and not very expensive matter to
make good, smooth, hard, dry and
permanent roads, and the effect will
be seen IN the economy and rapidity
of transacting business, in the COM
forts of living, and in the attractive
ness which will keep our people at
home and bring others here.
What we want now, most of all,
is to come to the unanimous con-
clusion that this is a goodly heritage
good enough for any of us-and
to settle down here with the deter
mination to stay and improve it, un-
til no equal area on earth can pre-
sent greater advantages for living.
1t makes vast difference whether
there is a feeling of security, per-
manence and improvement in COM
munity or one of doubt, camping
and temporizing. The difference
almost equals that between prosper.
ity and poverty, between happiness
and misery. With all her fertility
and beauty, her institutions and hel
history, Vermont has too great q
grip on the progress of the world tc
shrink and shrivel and fall behind
The tendency now is to stay, anG
let every good citizen encourage il
at all times and in every way.-Rut
land Herald.